US1237552A - Engine-starting mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

D'. M. PICKETT.

ENGINE STARHNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1916. 1,237,552., Patented Aug. 21,1917.

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ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, I916.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- DAVID M. PICKETT, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ENGINE-STARTING MECHANISM. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 135,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID M. PIoKE'r'r,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Engine-Starting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to engine starters especially adapted for use on internal combustion engines employed for driving motorvehicles, and it consists in the novel conleasable driving connection is established with the engine shaft for imparting rotations thereto to effect the initial inspirations necessary to start the engine under its own power.

A prefer'red'structural embodiment of the essential features of my invention by which the above object is attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a fronteleva'tion of a common type of motor-vehicle, showing my iniproved starter mounted thereon and associated with the engine inposition for opera tion. i 4

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed plan View of the starting mechanism. in connection with a portion of the engine shaft. f Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the starting mechanism and vehicle frame, showing theparts in the nor:

mal position.

- Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing'the parts in the actuated position as when having'completed the rotation of the shaft in starting the engine.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section" parts as on dotted line, 55 of through the Fig. 2. 1

Referring to the parts of the device by the characters of reference marked on the drawings, 1 indicates the engine shaft, 2 and 3 the side rails of the frame and 4 the dash of a common type of motor vehicle.

The main member-of the starting device consists of a U-shaped sheet metal channel bar or lever 5 which is positioned to extend at an incline transversely of the frame above the outer endof the engine shaft. The side walls at the lower end of the lever 5 are pivoted by a stud 6 to the extended end of an angular bracket 7 which is bolted as at 8 to the side rail 2 of the frame and the upper end of this lever is freely embraced to swing vertically in the arc of a circle aboutjthe axis formed by the stud between a pair of parallel guide plates 9 secured by bolts 10 to extend at corresponding angles from opposite-sides of a spacing block 11 which in turn is bolted as at 12 within the side rail 3 of the vehicle frame, as best shown in I Fig. 3.

Mounted to slide longitudinally within the channel formed by the walls of the lever 5 is a rack-bar 13 having the teeth thereof in sliding engagement with the bottom wall" of said lever, and which is retained therein by means of a series of laterally and inwardly projecting tongues 14 which are struck out of the side walls of the lever and bear at intervals upon the marginal edges of the upper face of said bar. A gear wheel 15, which is mounted on the engine shaftl,

is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the rack-bar 18 through an opening 16 formed] in the bottom wall of the lever 5, and as'a convenient means for, securing this gear it is formed with an enlarged hub for reception in the open end of a flanged collar 17 which in the type of vehicle illustrated serv-es'as the fan belt pulley, and which is secured to the engine shaft together with thegear by means of the pin 18 with which the usual starting crank engages, the hub of the gear being provided with abore 19 of suflicient 7 diameter to permit the entrance and engagement of the starting crank with the pin in the ordinary way (See Fig. 5). The rack bar is normally held in the lower end of the channel of the lever Withdrawn from engagement with the gear by'means of an expansive coiled spring 20 which is secured at one endto the pivot pin 6 of said lever, and at the opposite end to an eye bolt 21 which is anchored in and extends later-' ally from the upper face of the rack-bar near the upper endthereof. At this point the bar extends over the gear and has the teeth omitted therefrom to provide clearance for the teeth of the gear to permit it to rotate with the shaft when the engine is running under its own power. (See Fig. 3)

As a means for imparting a forward longitudinal movement to the rack-bar to cause it to engage and rotate the gear, a cable 22 is secured at one end to the eye-bolt 21 andextending forwardly of the bar to a point near the free end of the lever is suitably secured at 23 to the reduced hub or dru1n24c of a-grooved. pulley 25.v This. pulsley is rotatably mounted on, the stem. 26 of an angular bracket 27 which is secured at its base to the rail 3- of the frame by the-bolt 12. A second cable 28, which: embraces the pulley at one end and is secured thereto as at 29,.extends freely through a, guide plate 30v on. the dash: 4 of the vehicle and is provided. at the opposite end. with a handle 31 by means. of which-said cable may be drawn longitudinally to rotate said pulley and drum and cause the cable 22 to wind upon;

thela-tjter and draw the rack-barlongitudi-v nally. against the tension of the spring 20.. (See lligsr 1 andB). In order to movably support the upper end of thelever between theguide plates 9 which is slidably supported within the Channelo f the lever upon the tongues 14 and embraces at its closed or looped end the stem of the eye bolt 21 beneath a flange or collar thereon, which. slidably engages the side membersof the yoke-to retain it against displacement. Thefree ends of the yoke which extend forwardly of and parallel with the rack bar are turned outwardly at right angles to form oppositely extending lateral sten1s,3t. These stems. extend outwardly through, longitudinal slots 35 formedrespectively in the side walls of the lever at:

theupper end thereof, and said stems also extend; through angular slots 36 formed r e-- speetively in the guide'plates 9 and which extend at an incline from the 'innerends of thelongitudinal slots 35 to a point above the outer. ends of said slots so that when the yoke is moved forwardly the. stems 34: will becaused to-slide inthe'. slots 35 of the-lever and; also to travelupwardly in the. inclined;

slots '36of the guideplates, and in so: doing will. raise the free endof the lever and carry the rack bar-out of engagement with. the gear, Movement is. imparted to drive the yoke in the forward direction by means of a stud or set screw 3? which projects from thefaeev ot the rack bar nearv the lower end thereof and is adapted to engage the closed end ofthe yoke at a time sufficiently in ad- Vance. of. the completion of the forward travel of said rack-bar to carry said yoke therewith and effect the raising of the lever in proper time to release the gear at the limit of the travel of said bar. See Fig. 4) Upon the return movement of the rack-bar the stems of the yoke will remainin the uppermost portions of the inclined slots and the lever-will remain raised until the teeth of the bar have passed. over the gear when the stem. of the eye-bolt 21 will engage within the. looped end of the yoke, carrying it therewithandwithdrawing said stem into the lower portions of said slots, thus causing thelever to, swing downwardly and restore the rack bar to the normal position in. registering alinement with the teeth of the gear. The. spring which returns the rack bar also serves to reversely rotate the drum and pulley and restore thecables to their normal. positions thereon with each operation of the device, and these operationsv for reciprocating the rack-bar may be repeated as many times as may be required in effecting the necessary rotations ofv the shaft; to start the engine. I

It is obvious that changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the essential features of the invention, which is presented herewith as including all such changes and modifications as properly comev within the socpe and meaning of the following claims, I I

I claim:

1. In an engine starter, the combination with: an engine shaft having a: gear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward. and fromsaid gear, an inclined guide for the swinging end of said lever, a rack-bar slidably carried by saidlever and adapted toengage said gear, means to yieldably restrain. said.I rack-bar normally retraeted,.manually oper-. able means for imparting movement to: said; rack-bar, and means slidably engaging saidv V lever and said inclined. guide and engageable by said rack-bar for impartingmovement to swingsaid lever withthemovement of saidbar. v p

2.. In. an engine. starter, the combination; with. an engine shaft, having. a. gear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward andf-rom said, gear, an inclined guide. freelyembrac- 7 ing; theswinging end of said, lever, arrackbarslidably carried; by said-lever andadapted to engage said gear, a, yieldable member restraining said rack barnormally. retracted, a shi-ftable member engageable by said; rack bar slidably engaged with said lever, and with said I inclined guide and acting -thereon to-raisesaid. lever through movement of said; rack-bar, and manually operable means for impartingmovement to said rack-bar.

3 111, an. engine starter the combination;

- with an engine shaft having a gear thereon,

of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from said gear, a guide for the swinging end of the lever having an inclined bearing surface, a rack-bar slidably carried by said lever and adapted to engage said gear, means to yieldably restrain said rack-bar normally retracted, manually operable means for imparting movement to said rack-bar, and a slidable member supporting said lever in engagement with said inclined bearing surface and engageable with said rack-bar for receiving the movement thereof to swing said lever.

- 4 In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having a gear thereon, of a lever pivoted at one end to swing toward and from said gear, a guide member freely embracing the swinging end of said lever and having an inclined way therein, a rack-bar slidably carried by said lever and adapted to engage said gear through movement in one direction, means to yieldably restrain said rack-bar normally retracted, a shiftable member engageable by said rack bar slidably engaged with said lever and with the inclined way of said guide and acting thereon to raise and lower said lever with the respective movement of said rackbar in opposite directions, and manually operable means for imparting movement to said rack-bar.

5. In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having a gear thereon,

of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from 7 said gear, a fixed guide for the swinging end of said lever having inclined ways therein, a rack-bar slidably carried by said lever and adapted to engage said gear, an elastic member restraining said rack-bar normally retracted, a shiftable member slidably engaged with said lever and with said inclined ways, means on said rack-bar engageable with said shiftable member for imparting movement thereto with the movement of said rack-bar, and manually operable means for actuating said rack-bar.

6. In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having a gear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from said gear and having a longitudinal channel therein, a fixed guide embracing the free end of said lever and having inclined slots in the sides thereof, a rack-bar slidably carried in the channel of said lever and having lateral projections at opposite ends thereof, said rack-bar being adapted to engage said gear with movement in one direction, a yoke slidably supported in the channel of said lever and engageable at its looped end alternately by said lateral projections, the free ends of said yoke being slidably engaged with said inclined slots, manually operable means for imparting movement to said rack-bar to rotate said gear and actuate said yoke to raise said lever, and a spring for retracting said rack-bar and yoke to restore said lever to the normal position.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

DAVID M. PICKETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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